Batteries are generally stored for various periods of time before being put into use. The batteries can be stored by the seller and frequently when purchased they are again stored by the buyer prior to being put to use. It is therefore desired to have some sort of testing means for determining if a battery has sufficient charge to operate a desired device. Initially, separate battery testers were developed which could measure the strength remaining in the battery. Recently battery testers have been developed that either are included in the battery package or assembled in the label secured to the battery. The testers generally indicate the capacity remaining in the battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,564 discloses a device for testing a battery, particularly a small, portable battery, comprising a flexible, transparent substrate on which is deposited a narrow band of a black light absorbing material. A conductive material, which may taper outwardly in opposite directions from a central point to a pair of outer terminals, is then deposited atop the substrate on the same side of the substrate as the absorber layer or on the opposite side of the substrate as the absorber layer. A layer of a chloesteric liquid crystal material is then deposited on the substrate on the opposite side from the black absorber layer or over the absorber layer. The conductive material is an epoxy cement-based conductor, preferably silver, printed or painted directly on the substrate. An indicator scale is located along sections of the conductive material. To test a dry cell battery, the terminal ends of the conductive material are placed in contact with the battery terminals, causing a current to flow which heats the conductive material, the heat generated being the most intense at the central point and radiating outwardly. The heat is transferred through the thin substrate to the liquid crystal layer which results in a color change in the liquid crystal. The traverse of the color change along the length of the indicator scale, outwardly from the center point, is proportional to the current or voltage output or the condition of the battery to be tested and can be read on the indicator scale which is calibrated accordingly. The tester also includes means for determining the amp-hours or life of a battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,544 discloses a battery strength indicating and switch means on a battery which is coupled across the terminals of the battery and which is provided with an indicating means to indicate the strength of the battery and in addition, the battery strength indicating means is also provided with an in-line switch which can easily be depressed to complete the circuit so as to place the indicator means across the terminals of the cell and display the charge of the battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,895 discloses a battery voltmeter comprising:
(A) a dielectric layer; PA1 (B) a conductive layer above or below one of the surfaces of the dielectric layer; and PA1 (C) a temperature sensitive color indicator layer in thermal contact with the conductive layer, PA1 (i) a film base; PA1 (ii) an electrically conductive layer disposed on one side of the film base, PA1 (iii) a protective layer disposed on the electrically conductive layer, and PA1 (iv) a thermochromic layer disposed on the other side of the film base. PA1 (a) preparing a nonconductive base film having a top surface and a bottom surface and producing in said film a first opening and a spaced apart second opening; and depositing an expanded insulating material on said base film between said first opening and said second opening; PA1 (b) preparing a conductive circuit layer with a thermally sensitive material secured to and in thermal contact with the conductive circuit layer and securing the conductive circuit layer onto the top surface of the film and over the first opening, the second opening and the expanded insulating material such that a selected first area of the conductive circuit over the first opening can be deflected into and below said first opening, a selected second area of the conductive circuit over the second opening can be deflected into and below said second opening while the expanded insulating material provides an electrical and thermal insulating layer for at least a portion of the remaining conductive circuit layer between said first opening and said second opening; PA1 (c) optionally securing a nonconductive outer film over at least the top surface of the base film containing the conductive layer; and PA1 (d) adhering the bottom surface of the base film to the housing of a battery having a first terminal and second terminal of opposite polarity such that the first opening is positioned over the first terminal and the second opening is positioned over the second terminal so that said first selected area can be deflected to contact the first terminal and said second selected area can be deflected to contact the second terminal to complete an electrical circuit in which current will flow through the conductive circuit layer creating heat that will be detected and displayed by the thermally sensitive material and said expanded insulating material providing an electrical and thermal insulating layer for at least the portion of the conductive circuit layer between said first opening and said second opening.
characterized in that the conductive layer has (i) thermal insulating means under one of its surfaces and (ii) sufficient heat generating capacity to affect a change in the temperature sensitive color indicator layer. The voltmeter can be integrated into a label and attached directly to a battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,475 discloses an apparatus for indicating the electromotive force of a dry battery which comprises:
An object of the present invention is to provide a battery tester device which is assembled with the battery label and which has few components thus making it easy to assemble.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery tester device integral with the battery label that is cost effective to produce and suitable for efficient automatic assembly operation.
Another object is to provide a method for assembly of the battery tester label onto a battery.